U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Update for Oct. 17

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 17, 2012) - The current U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Weekly update released on Oct. 17 includes briefs on U.S. players.

AKINRADEWO WITH AZERBAIJAN’S RABITA BAKU: Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), a silver medalist with the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team at the 2012 Olympic Games, is competing for Rabita Baku in the Azerbaijan Super League. The squad is one of six clubs competing in the FIVB Volleyball Club World Championships at Doha, Qatar, held Oct. 14-19. In its Pool A opening match on Oct. 15, Rabita Baku lost to Brazil’s Sollys Nestle 22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-20. Akinradewo scored nine points in the loss with eight kills on 17 attacks and a block. A video replay of the match can be viewed by clicking here. Rabita Baku evened its record at 1-1 on Oct. 16 with a 25-20, 25-22, 18-25, 25-21 victory over China’s Bohai Bank Tianjin. Akinradewo contributed nine kills on 16 errorless attacks, six blocks and an ace for 16 points. A video replay of the match can be found by clicking here. With the victory, Rabita Baku advanced to the semifinal round and will challenge Turkey’s Fenerbahce SK Istanbul on Oct. 18 at 7 a.m. PT. The match can be viewed online by clicking here. Rabita Baku opens the CEV Champions League with an opening round Pool B match versus Agel Prostejov on Oct. 24.

LARSON, BOWN WITH RUSSIA’S DINAMO KAZAN: Jordan Larson and Heather Bown, who have each won an Olympic silver medal with the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, are competing for Dinamo Kazan in the Russia Super League. After starting the Russia Super Cup Zone 2 preliminary stage with a 2-1 record, Kazan opened up the Russia Super League with a 25-10, 25-17, 25-16 victory over Ufimochka on Oct. 11. Larson scored nine kills on 24 attacks and just two errors to go with two aces and two blocks for 13 points. Bown was a sub in the third set registering a block and three attacks. Kazan needed five sets on Oct. 15 to defeat Uralochka 25-23, 22-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-11. Larson contributed 17 points with 11 kills on 41 attacks, four aces and a block. Bown moved into the starting lineup and tallied 10 points with eight kills on 17 attacks with just two errors to go with a block and ace. Kazan returns to Super League action on Oct. 19 against Omichka. Dinamo Kazan starts CEV Champions League action on Oct. 24 with a Pool E first-round match against Schweriner SC.

HOOKER WITH RUSSIA’S DINAMO KRASNODAR: Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), who earned the Best Spiker Award at the 2012 Olympic Games while helping the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team to the silver medal, is competing for Dinamo Krasnodar in the Russia Super League this winter. After her team won all four matches in the Russia Super Cup Zone 3 preliminary round, Hooker helped Krasnodar to consecutive victories to open the Russia Super League. Krasnodar rallied to defeat Severstal 28-26, 15-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 on Oct. 11. Hooker charted 18 kills on 49 attacks and a block for 19 points in the victory. In the second match of the season, Krasnodar topped Proton 19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23 on Oct. 15. Hooker paced her club with 16 points with 14 kills on 28 attacks with just one error, one block and one ace. Krasnodar returns to action on Oct. 19 against Torch New Urengoy.

SCOTT-ARRUDA TO BE INDUCTED INTO LONG BEACH CENTURY CLUB HALL OF FAME: Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.), the first five-time U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team member and two-time Olympic silver medalists, has been selected for induction into the Long Beach Century Club Hall of Fame on Feb. 5, 2013, during the club’s 57th Annual Sports Night Banquet. She will join Misty May-Treanor and Brian Gimmillaro. Scott-Arruda starred for Gimmillaro from 1990-1993, as a three-time All-American, winning AVCA Division I National Player of the Year honors in 1993. While at Long Beach State, she also was named All-Big West as a basketball player, the first time in conference history that an athlete was all-conference in two separate sports.

HARMOTTO, GLASS WITH ITALY’S VOLLEY MODENA: Middle blocker Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) and setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.), both members of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, are competing with Universal Volley Modena in the Italian Serie A1 in 2012-2013. Harmotto, a silver medalist at the 2012 Olympic Games, and Glass were also teammates at Penn State University before joining the National Team. Modena opens the Serie A1 regular season on Oct. 21 against Robursport Pesaro.

LLOYD WITH ITALY’S YAMAMAY BUSTO ARSIZIO: Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.), a setter with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is competing in the Italian Serie A1 league with Unendo Yamamay Busto Arsizio in 2012-2013 along with American Juliann Faucette (San Diego). Both athletes played for Epic Volleyball Club in San Diego as juniors before going separate ways at the collegiate level. Yamamay Busto Arsizio, the reigning Italian League champion, opens the 2012-2013 Serie A1 regular season on Oct. 21 versus Banca Reale Yoyogurt Giaveno. Yamamay Busto Arsizio opens CEV Champions League first round action with a Pool C match against Dinamo Romprest Bucuresti on Oct. 24.

GIBBEMEYER WITH ITALY’S VOLLEY PESARO: Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.), a middle blocker with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is competing for Robursport Volley Pesaro in the Italian Serie A1 league in 2012-2013. Her team opens the season on Oct. 21 versus Universal Volley Modena.

PAOLINI WITH ITALY’S ICOS CREMA: Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.), a middle blocker with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, returns for a second season with Icos Crema as she helped the squad rise to the Italian Serie A1 Divisision for 2012-2013. Icos Crema opens its regular season on Oct. 21 versus Rebecchi Nordmeccanica Piacenza.

ENGLE, MURREY WITH ITALY’S BANCA REALE YOYOGURT GIAVENO: Ashley Engle (Yorba Linda, Calif.), who has trained with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is currently competing for Banca Reale Yoyogurt Giaveno of the Italian Serie A1 alongside American Tarah Murrey (El Cerrito, Calif.) playing in her first full professional season. The team opens the regular season on Oct. 21 versus defending champion Unendo Yamamay Busto Arsizio.

THOMPSON WITH POLAND’S BUDOWLANI LODZ: Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.), a setter on the 2012s silver medalist U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is playing for Budowlani Lodz of the Plus Liga in Poland for 2012-2013. In the league opener on Oct. 6, Lodz lost to Tauron MKS Dabrowa Gorniza 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-23. Thompson set her team to a 36 kill percent for the match while starting all four sets. Lodz dropped a hard-fought 25-14, 25-23, 27-25 match to BKS Aluprof Bielsko-Biala on Oct. 12. Thompson set Lodz to a 30 kill percent for the match.

LICHTMAN WITH SWITZERLAND’S HOTEL CRISTAL VFM I: Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.), an outside hitter with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is competing for Hotel Cristal VFM I in the Swiss Volley League along with Americans Bianca Rowland, Brianna Barry, Michelle Kocher, Lise Muhlemann and Amber Roberson. Last week Hotel Cristal VFM split a pair of matches, losing to Volley Koniz 25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 28-26 on Oct. 13 and defeating VC Kanti Schaffhausen 22-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-21 on Oct. 14. The squad is now 4-3 on the season and will face TSV Dudingen on Oct. 21.

JONES WITH PUERTO RICO’S LANCHERAS de CATANO: Jessica Jones (Naperville, Ill.), a middle blocker with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is competing for Lancheras de Catanos of the Puerto Rico Super League. Her club is one of six teams currently competing in the 2012 FIVB Volleyball Club World Championships taking place in Doha, Qatar. Catano opened the tournament with a 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23 victory over Keny Prisons on Oct. 13. Jones provided 10 points in the victory, which included six kills and four blocks. In its second Pool B match, Catano dropped a 25-17, 25-17, 25-13 match to Turkey’s Fenerbahce SK Istanbul on Oct. 15. Jones paced Catano with a team-high 10 points with six kills and four blocks. Catano has advanced to the semifinal round and will face Pool A winner Sollys Nestle of Brazil on Oct. 18 at midnight PT. The match can be viewed live online by clicking here.

HODGE, WILSON WITH AZERBAIJAN’S AZERRAIL BAKU: Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), a silver medalist on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is playing for Azerbaijan’s Azerrail Baku in 2012-2013 along with fellow Penn State University alum Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.). Outside of the Azerbaijan Super League, Azerrail opens the CEV Champions League schedule with a Pool D first round match against Dresdner SC on Oct. 24.

METCALF WITH AZERBAIJAN’S IGTISADCHI BAKU: Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa), an opposite on the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is playing for Igtisadchi Baku of the Azerbaijan Super League in 2012-2013. The squad opens the CEV Cup 16th Final Round home-and-home series on Oct. 23 against Slidrecht Sport.

TAMAS WITH AZERBAIJAN’S BAKI AZERYOLSERVIS: Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), a 2008 silver medalist with the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is playing for Baki Azeryolservis of the Azerbaijan Super League in 2012-2013. Her squad will be competing in the CEV Cup this year, starting with a 16th Final Round opening series against Nova KBM Branink Maribor starting on Oct. 25.

RICHARDS WITH TURKEY’S BAKIRKEY BELEDIYE YESILYURT: Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah), alternate for both the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Teams, is competing for Bakirkey Belediye Yesilyurt in the Turkish League. Her squad opens the regular season on Oct. 20 against Eczacibasi.

TOM WITH BRAZIL’S UNILEVER: Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah), a four-time U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball selection with two silver medals, is playing this winter with Unilever in Brazil’s Super League, which begins Nov. 23.